Column: Exposing the detrimental effects of a Wal-Mart in Balcksburg
Monday, September 17, 2007; 6:48 PM
There is a bad tendency in academia to intentionally use really big and complicated words such as "institutions," "structures," and "capitalism" to explain the world.

These words, along with others, have their merit and serve a purpose in academic settings. The drawback is that most technocratic jargon has the tendency to complicate a very simple picture that can be explained in rather basic terms.

Politics is nothing more than who gets what, when and how. Because of this, decisions are not based upon what is best for the local community but are decided because a handful of powerful people know how to get what they want. In short, a few people with money and power are able to use their money and power to secure for themselves even more money and power.

This means that as the environment is degraded and the will of the community is overruled through costly lawsuits it is not being done solely by some faceless corporation. It is being done with the help of a few select individuals who can be identified and who are profiting immensely. In the case of the Wal-Mart that Fairmount Properties wants to build in Blacksburg, six people (two of whom are known and four of whom continue to remain anonymous) will make an amazingly large sum of money if they are successful. To their advantage, they have plenty of experience in local politics, the benefit of years of networking in the area and deep pockets to pay for an Astroturf campaign.

Probably the most important political player is Jeanne Stosser from Llamas LLC, who is a very prolific developer in the New River Valley. With experience, one can expect to network to form important connections, learn from past mistakes, and find the strategies, tactics and rhetoric that works. As explained by one reporter in the Roanoke Times, "few in town, even among activists, can match Jeanne Stosser's track record for lobbying in town hall." She has also been very effective as a prominent spokesperson in the local media regarding the issue of a possible Wal-Mart in Blacksburg and has been quoted extensively in the Roanoke Times on just about every issue that will affect her current investment (such as ordinance 1450 or the issue of "vested rights").

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Posted by: G Williams at 9/24/07 The argument collapses the moment you introduce the issue of Wealth vs. Poverty. Wal Mart 100% benefits those of lower economic means, which by your logic, confirms that we have NO CHOICE but to welcome Wal Mart to help those under-earning, hard-working people of our town have an alternative to those vocally coveted high priced tie dye shirts, Hokie hoodies, VT flags, oddly carved wooden decorative objects, text books and happy hours of downtown. Beyond that 'crucial offering' our downtown doesn't actually provide any goods or services that benefit the community at large-downtown in fact, represents the inequity. That being said, if I can burn less fuel, spend less polluting time racing up and down 460 to reach goods and services I don't see anything wrong with building a well-balanced regional shopping district on our existing zoned commercial hub of South Main Street-this area has been earmarked for commercial and office development for more than 20 years! This project shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's been paying attention. Bburg DOESN'T need any more hempy, hippy, homespun fuzzy business. We DO NEED options that speak to those of higher means [Talbots, Chicos, Ann Taylor Loft, Jos Banks, etc...] and those of lower means, Wal Mart, restaurants, a big ass book store and the chance to catch a movie without a 20 minute drive to Cburg. So, by all logic this business area will only enhance and round out what's offered in town. Downtown's future strength and success will come in the form of office, professional, cultural, civic, residential and 'neighborhood' businesses being set in motion by The Lyric, the new Henderson Performance Space and future VT Cultural Center, downtown lodging, future galleries, Lofts at The Lyric, Condos at Kent Square + Clay Court, and other projects of that nature-embrcing a forward-looking mix that's already so successful in hundreds of other towns the size of Bburg. Then there's the $1 million + annual tax revenue to help fund our streets, lights, sewers, etc...that is needed to sustain the town. As a point of reference, you should check out Bennington, VT. A small town that not only welcomed Wal Mart but since its arrival has seen LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS BOOM because so many people are drawn there to shop and conduct business. It's the OTHER SIDE of the story that so many opponents here don't want you to know, and will do anything to surpress in their fight against the big evil bugaboo of WM. Flag Abuse
Posted by: bxl at 9/19/07 Nice one, Devin. Anything that pisses JD off is by definition factual and good. Now go practice your 16s and 15s. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Jonathan Daugherty at 9/19/07 I hadn't even noticed it was dear Mr. Stone! I've always love your conspiracy theories and pro-communist rants, like "80's Alum" I too find them good for a giggle.... Robert, you're right, if the townspeople vote against it it shouldn't be built. That's how democracy works. My issue with this is that it always seems to boil down to a "Wal-Mart is an evil corporation, they make money, making money is evil" argument, rather than a facts and figures discussion pointing out the pros and cons of the issue at hand. If the cons outweigh the pros and the townspeople say "no" than wal-mart should stay out. But otherwise, let them build. Besides, you know wal-mart has done its homework and knows that even if a majority oppose them, if it builds they will come! Flag Abuse
Posted by: M. W. Clark Alumnut at 9/19/07 Well argued Mr. Stone - it's good to see someone researches the facts before making an arguement. This is not a diatribe against the rich- believe me I wish I were rich- it would make things a lot easier- then I could buy a helicopter to bypass all the traffic on Main Street in the future. Flag Abuse
Posted by: 80s Alum at 9/18/07 Ah, Mr. Stone, welcome back. I was afraid you'd graduated and we were going to be deprived of your anti-capitalist rants. I find they are always good for a giggle. I particularly appreciate your not using "really big and complicated words such as "institutions," "structures," and "capitalism" to explain" your point of view. If you had, I'd have had to go running to my dictionary. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Robert Hawkins at 9/18/07 I think the author has already argued why Wal-Mart is bad. "If this Wal-Mart is built, it will be at the expense of families who will see their property values drop, more pollution, more traffic and a less prosperous downtown..." It has already been shown that the overwelming majority of this town (defined as permanent residents) do not want this Supercenter being built, as seen by the town council meeting on ordinance 1450 which involved over 4 hours of citizens comment, with over 80% of the speakers being anti-big box, pro 1450. The problems of Wal-Mart where also identified in an earlier column, "http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/2007/09/03/column__a_lesson_in_bait_and_switch" I think the author's point was to simply highlight +if+ this Wal-Mart is built, to show the reason +why+ it was built. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Robert Vorsteg at 9/18/07 Devin, if you want to stop Wal-Mart, begin by doing your homework. Check out Blackburgs Development Plan, & note that it calls for downtown development as important. Since Wal-Mart succeeds by putting other retailers out of business, you've got the beginning of a case right there. I'm in Winston-Salem, NC, and found out this much in five minutes on the Town of Blackburg's website. (We have one less W-M in Winston-Salem because they were vulnerable to objections based on their very inappropriate location.) If you can show that W-M is seriously out of sync with Blackburg's development plan, and can find allies in the town(begin w the merchants whose business is most threatened), you may have a chance. Sometimes council members want to do the right thing, but they need to be able to say, against the powerful few: "A lot of my constituents are opposed to this." Robert Flag Abuse
Posted by: Lee Hawkins at 9/18/07 You live in a capitalistic society. You have to take the bitter with the sweet. Besides, there are WAY more important "inequities" that you could focus your column on. YAAAAY wal-mart!!! Flag Abuse
Posted by: Kyle Minor at 9/18/07 Well said, Jonathan. It seems like Mr. Stone's objections aren't really to Wal-mart, but rather to the fact that Wal-mart is representative of an effective business model which he thinks ought to be afforded to every small business. In other words, he wouldn't care about Wal-mart - if it weren't so successful. We all need to remember that even Wal-mart was a small business at one point. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Jonathan Daugherty at 9/18/07 I don't see the connection between preventing a Wal-Mart in Blacksburg and helping the less-than-privileged people of Blacksburg. Perhaps it will be better for those struggling to make ends meet if they could buy cheap toothpaste and underwear right in Blacksburg rather than burning the gas and the time traveling to Christiansburg. All I can see here is yet another "wealthy people are bad because they are wealthy" argument here. I am not wealthy; I shop at Wal-Mart because it is the only place I can afford to buy groceries. I do not feel any jealousy or malice against those wealthy enough or foolish enough to spend $3,000 a year on clothing. Therefore I completely disagree with your argument. Stop pitting the poor against the wealthy and give some real reasons Wal-Mart will be bad for B’burg. Flag Abuse






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